Tongtian

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Sect Leadership and the Approaching Calamity

Tongtian leads the Interception Sect according to the principle of teaching without distinction. He accepts beings of different races and origins without judging their qualifications or spiritual roots, seeking a chance of survival for all living beings. He provides his attendants with cultivation resources and personally shares his cultivation experience 3 16.

Before receiving the Great Dao Diary, he remains in seclusion while attempting to refine the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords. Their uncontrolled baleful Qi prevents them from properly stabilizing the sect’s fortune—a growing concern as the Investiture of the Gods Calamity approaches and the Chan Sect threatens the Interception Sect 2.

Lin Tian knows an expected future in which the Interception Sect is devastated and Tongtian takes the Saint-Slaying Pill before being confined. This is a foreknown outcome, not an event shown occurring to Tongtian in the provided chapters 1.

Receiving the Great Dao Diary

An ancient book enters Biyou Palace through a rift and strikes one of the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords, immediately eliminating that sword’s baleful Qi. Tongtian identifies it as the Great Dao Diary and discovers that its power suppresses even the Heavenly Dao Sage Qi in his palace 2.

Although its writing is unfamiliar, the diary transmits its meaning directly to him. He initially dismisses its author’s complaints about chopping firewood, then becomes alarmed by its prediction that Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal will betray the sect during the Myriad Immortals Formation. The reference is especially convincing because Tongtian has not finished developing that formation or told anyone about it 3.

Tongtian searches for the author with his divine sense but finds no trace. After confirming the diary’s warning, he comes to suspect that its owner is a Great Dao Sage; this is his inference, not a confirmed identification of Lin Tian’s realm 3 15.

Exposing Western Infiltration

Secretly monitoring Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal, Tongtian discovers him cultivating Western teachings and preparing to leave the sect. He manifests a Sage incarnation, immobilizes the disciple, and destroys both his body and primordial spirit. The Western Buddhist beads are also destroyed 4 6.

Tongtian then recalls the sect’s disciples and publicly announces the execution. He orders them to remain within a hundred thousand li of the sect’s training grounds, improve their strength, and prepare for the calamity 5 19.

Further diary entries prompt him to examine the remaining Six Attendant Immortals. Five—Jinguang Xian, Ling Ya Xian, Qiu Shou Xian, Wuyun Xian, and Piluxian—contain hidden Western spiritual roots; Golden Hoop Immortal is the exception. Tongtian recognizes that the five were targeted without realizing it, but still holds them responsible for insufficiently firm Dao hearts. He spares their lives and orders a hundred thousand years of reflection in the Evil-Warding Great Formation 16 28.

After severing the Western Sages’ connections to those five disciples, Tongtian commissions the Three Xiaos to inspect the primordial spirits of the inner and outer sect disciples for further infiltration 28 29.

Discovering the Alleged Conspiracy

The diary’s third entry claims that the Investiture of the Gods Calamity is directed against the Interception Sect. It predicts that Taishang, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti will combine forces to take Tongtian’s swords, leaving his disciples without his protection. It also states that Taishang will take Duobao to the West 32.

Tongtian initially rejects the claim, but recognizes that the four named Sages are already aligned against him and together could break his sword formation. He increasingly accepts the possibility of a conspiracy. The diary calls him the key to changing the outcome but stops short of explaining how, leaving him frustrated and uncertain 33.

Rather than remain idle, he resolves to monitor Duobao, inspect his primordial spirit, and deepen his comprehension of the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords Formation 33.

Duobao and *Buddha Is the Dao*

When Duobao returns, Tongtian examines him and detects Western influence in his primordial spirit. Angered by what he sees as a breach of trust, he draws a golden Dharma treasure from Duobao’s sleeve. The object proves to be Buddha Is the Dao, which Duobao says can remove the Western influence and guide his cultivation 47.

The book’s introduction changes Tongtian’s response. Its treatment of all things and laws as belonging to the Dao leads him to consider whether Buddhist cultivation could legitimately remain within the Mystic Gate. He returns the book and permits Duobao to study it, while retaining the option of cleansing his primordial spirit if the influence persists 48.

Duobao conceals Lin Tian’s involvement and claims to have found the book at a mysterious cliff. Tongtian fails to divine its true origin. During the attempt, he detects Jieyin and Zhunti nearby, recognizes them despite their disguises, and prepares to confront them 48.

Appearance

• Youthful Daoist appearance: Introduced as a young Daoist seated cross-legged in Biyou Palace 2.
• Pale cyan Daoist robe: His robe billows and his hair flies as he releases Sage power 2.
• Eyes bearing profound phenomena: When he opens his eyes, they evoke the birth and destruction of stars, life and death, and the recreation of earth, wind, water, and fire 2.
• Dharma manifestation: Can appear as a tremendous, golden-lit Sage Dharma body above Biyou Palace 19.

Personality

Tongtian is normally kind and approachable toward his disciples. His commitment to teaching without distinction makes betrayal difficult for him to comprehend: he believes that he has neither neglected their resources nor wronged them as their master 3 16.

Threats to the sect provoke an explosive temper. Accusations against trusted disciples initially anger him, but he verifies the diary’s claims through surveillance and primordial-spirit examinations rather than relying solely on its predictions. He also distinguishes deliberate betrayal from concealed manipulation, executing Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal while sparing the five attendants carrying hidden Western seeds 3 4 16 28.

Despite his pride as a Sage, Tongtian can revise his judgment. Reading Buddha Is the Dao substantially reduces his anger toward Duobao and makes him reconsider his assumptions about Buddhist cultivation 48.

Abilities & Skills

Sage Power and Incarnations

Tongtian commands the laws and overwhelming pressure of a Heavenly Dao Sage 2 48.

• Restrains the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords through Sage pressure, though their baleful Qi initially resists complete control 2.
• Immobilizes and kills Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal through an incarnation rather than his main body 4.
• Establishes restrictions around Biyou Palace that prevent his disciples from entering 44.

Divine Sense and Divination

His divine sense supports long-distance observation, spiritual inspection, and attempts to calculate heavenly secrets 3 28 48.

• Searches a billion miles around the sect before extending his search farther in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the diary’s author 3.
• Tracks Duobao’s location and examines disciples’ primordial spirits for Western influence 19 28 33 47.
• Detects Jieyin and Zhunti despite their altered appearances 48.
• Cannot determine the origin of either the diary’s author or Buddha Is the Dao 3 48.

Formation Mastery

Tongtian develops and studies formations central to the Interception Sect’s defense 3 33.

• Myriad Immortals Formation: Still under development when the diary reveals its future role; Tongtian has disclosed it to no one 3.
• Four Immortal-Slaying Swords Formation: His principal defense against rival Sages. The swords can wound a Sage’s primordial spirit, but four Sages acting together can overcome the formation 33.

Removal of Western Influence

Tongtian can expose and interfere with Western methods embedded in primordial spirits 28 29.

• Uses Sage magic power to uncover hidden Western spiritual roots in five attendants 28.
• Severs the connections between those disciples and the Western Sages 29.
• Considers cleansing Duobao’s primordial spirit or erasing the affected consciousness if its Buddhist influence remains unresolved; this action is contemplated, not carried out 48.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Four Immortal-Slaying Swords — His chief weapons and the foundation of their associated formation. He seeks to refine them into a treasure capable of stabilizing the Interception Sect’s fortune 2 33.
• Great Dao Diary — A mysterious book that reaches him independently. It suppresses the swords’ baleful Qi, supplies warnings about the sect’s future, and signals new content through golden light entering his brow 2 15.
• Buddha Is the Dao — Temporarily takes the book from Duobao, reads its introduction, and returns it for his disciple to study 47 48.

Relationships

• Lin Tian — Unknown to Tongtian as the diary’s author and the source of Buddha Is the Dao. Lin Tian’s writings nevertheless guide Tongtian’s efforts to protect the sect 3 15 33 48.
• Duobao — First and chief disciple, entrusted with significant resources and bearing the sect’s karmic fortune. Tongtian’s trust becomes strained by his contact with Western teachings 47 48.
• Zhao Gongming — Trusted disciple tasked with escorting the five compromised attendants into confinement 28.
• Yunxiao, Bixiao, and Qiongxiao — Disciples assigned to investigate Western infiltration among the sect’s inner and outer disciples 28.
• Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal — Former trusted attendant executed after Tongtian confirms his intended betrayal 3 4.
• Golden Hoop Immortal — The only remaining attendant found without hidden Western spiritual roots 28.
• Jieyin and Zhunti — Hostile Sages responsible for infiltrating his sect. Both fear a confrontation with him and resort to disguises when approaching his territory 28 43 48.
• Yuanshi and Taishang — Rival Sages whom Tongtian identifies as potential participants in the foretold destruction of his formation; he also suspects Taishang’s involvement in Duobao’s predicted defection 32 33.

Notable Quotes

“Those who come to the Interception Sect to cultivate are not judged by their qualifications or spiritual roots. As long as their hearts are set on immortality, they may cultivate.” 3

“No matter what dangers the future holds, only by strengthening myself can I overcome them!” 33